Dare
by BookJunkie007
Summary: Peeta and Katniss get their first tattoos. Second in the Panem Roller Derby 'verse, although these one-shots are not in order.


A/N: Thank you so much to alonglineofbread and BaronessKika for being awesome betas, and giving me insight on the world of getting tattoos and getting drunk; one of which I hope to get in September and the other hopefully never; and whiskeysnarker for being willing to discuss my version of Everlark with me, and how they're a good thing to have in the fic world. Also, I apologize to my followers who had to witness deliverustogirouxsalem and I yelling back and forth at each other in comments before I posted this.

The picture which goes along with Pivot, the one-shot before this one is found at post/50237491629

Comments and critique are much appreciated.

I'm Book_Junkie007 on Tumblr if you want to come play with me.

Peeta drags me into the tattoo parlour as I try to resist.

"Peeta, what are we doing?" I ask.

He looks over his shoulder at me and rolls his eyes. "Getting our tattoos."

"What?" I hiss. "Now?"

"Of course. We already booked our appointments for them."

"When did we decide to get them again?" I honestly can't remember and I'm surprised that Peeta does.

"Last month, while we were playing that game of Kings with Annie, Finnick, and Jo. Remember? You said, never have I ever had a tattoo, and you and I were the only ones who didn't drink. The others started showing off their tattoos, with Johanna pulling down her shorts to show us her tramp stamp, and Jo called you a pussy for twenty minutes before you double dog dared me to get a tattoo with you. How could I resist a double dog dare? Especially from you? You made the phone call to Cinna to book appointments drunk that night. When he phoned back in the morning, he suggested that we make our appointments a month from that day, to make sure that we still wanted them. Do you have something planned for yours?"

This is the first time I remember having booked an appointment with Cinna in the first place, so I lie. "Yes, of course."

He smiles at me before saying, "Now, come on, let's go in."

I take his hand again and follow him into the tattoo parlour.

Cinna looks up from the reception desk and grins. "Katiniss, Peeta, how nice it is to see you again." He comes around the desk to give us both hugs.

"Hey, Cinna," I say, smiling into his shoulder. "Long time no see."

Everyone in Seal Beach goes to Cinna for their tattoos, and he is particularly well known in the derby community. Octavia and Venia are Cinna's tattoo assistants and Flavius is the resident piercing guru. Cinna is willing to work with his customers to make sure their piece is absolutely perfect, and he's an amazing artist.

"Come on back," Cinna says, leading us to a seating area.

I settle on the couch as close to Peeta as I can, and he wraps an arm around my shoulders. Cinna sits in an armchair across from us.

"So, do you have any concepts you'd like me to look at?" Cinna asks.

I'm about to open my mouth, say that I don't have any idea at all when Cinna looks over at me.

"I've got an idea for you, Katniss, don't worry," he says, almost like he's reading my mind on how I haven't even thought about it.

"Yep," Peeta says, shifting us so he can dig his wallet out of his back pocket. He unfolds the piece of paper and hands it to Cinna.

Cinna looks down at the piece of paper in his hand. "Peeta, this is very impressive."

"Can I see?" I ask.

Cinna holds the piece of paper out to me. On it is a drawing of a cupcake, obviously in Peeta's style with the words "Bake or Die" printed above and below the cupcake in a biker's banner sort of style.

"It's gorgeous." I say, looking over at Peeta. "And it fits you."

He gives a small smile. "I thought it was appropriate."

"Do you know where you want to place it?" Cinna asks Peeta.

"I was thinking on my forearm." He says. "That way it will always be visible. I can always wear long sleeved shirts to cover it up during school."

Cinna nods. "Sounds like a plan. And here's what I have for you, Katniss." He takes a piece of paper out of a folder and hands it to me.

I look at the drawing. It's a beautiful design; it looks like a blue jay and a mockingbird blended together. It's enclosed in a circle with an arrow in its beak.

"It's beautiful," I say, tears starting to well up in my eyes.

"I call it a Mockingjay," Cinna says. "I listened to your father's stories of you whenever he came in to get some work done, and he was always talking about how fascinated you were with the blue jays and the mockingbirds when he took you out on hunts and how you would sing to them. He also talked about how you were a natural with a bow and arrow and how proud he was of you. I thought it would be a good symbol for you to have on your body."

I nod, still looking at the picture. It would be a good thing to have a piece of my father with me all the time, especially since my mother is so rarely around. He was the parent I looked up to, and had always relied on before he died. Ever since, I have felt his presence everywhere, and it would be a good thing to have a physical reminder of it.

"Thanks, Cinna," I say, finally looking up.

"Do you have any idea where you're going to put it?" he asks me.

I look over at Peeta who seems to be silently pleading with me. I know where he would like me to put it, and to be honest, it isn't a bad idea. It's where I was thinking of getting it placed already. I'd be able to cover it up for work but still be able to expose it in my short shorts for roller derby.

"On the outside of my right thigh."

"Sounds good. Want to get started?" Cinna asks.

Peeta and I both nod.

Cinna lets us skim the release papers before we sign them.

Finally he asks. "Who's first?"

I agree to go first and hop up on his table, pulling my shorts off so I'm laying on the table in my underwear.

"Showing off our legs, are we, Katniss?" Peeta asks, a huge shit-eating grin spreading across his face until I glare pointedly at him.

His smile fades a little, but he's still enjoying himself way too much. I roll my eyes at him. I'm uncomfortable at first, but Cinna soon puts me at ease, chatting with me about my life, Prim, how work is going at the diner, and pretty much anything else he can think of to take my mind off the fact that he's repeatedly jabbing a needle full of ink into my skin.

Three hours later, Cinna finishes my tattoo. He allows me to take a look at it before asking if he can take a picture for his photo album and puts a bandage over my new tattoo. I pull my shorts back up and hop off the table so Peeta can take his turn being inked.

A few hours later, Peeta's tattoo is done as well. Cinna's handiwork has made his drawing look amazing, and I can't help but admire how well done it is. He instructs us on the aftercare of the tattoos, and what we should do to make sure that they stay as vibrant as possible in the years to come. We go to the counter to pay, and Peeta waves aside my offers to pay for my tattoo.

"It's my treat." He says, giving me a peck on the lips.

"Okay," I say reluctantly, "but only if I can pay for our dinners out for the next month."

He smiles at me. "Deal."

We drive back to Prim's and my place holding hands over the middle seat. After a quick kiss over the console, we walk up the front steps and through the front door. Prim is already home from being out with her friends and in the kitchen making dinner for herself.

"Hey!" She says as she turns from the stove with a huge smile on her face. "How was your day?"

"Fine," I say, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table and sitting down. "Peeta and I got tattoos. How was your day?"

Prim's face lights up. "Tattoos? Can I see?"

"Sure." I say.

Prim comes over to look at our tattoos when Peeta and I pull our bandages back to show her.

"Those are awesome!" She says. "When can I have a tattoo?"

"Not until you're 18." I say sternly.

She pouts and heads back to the stove to check on her dinner. "No fair."

As we sit down with Prim as she eats her dinner, I think about our new tattoos. They perfectly represent who we are and what is important to us. I think my father would be proud of the design I chose. I hope he is.


End file.
